The Lost Disciple
by Chiharu-senpai
Summary: Inspired after reading Redwall. A fantasy story, the kind with warriors and quests and such. Miator and Spica are waging war, but what happens when pure evil threatens them both? Will they pull together and fight? Or are they too proud to? Varied pairings
1. A Newcomer to the Order

Hello everybody! :)

This idea came to me suddenly while reading _Mariel of Redwall _by Brian Jacques, and I immediately set out to write this fic. (If you're a fan of _Redwall _or _Eragon_, you might like this story.) Since it's fantasy, there'll probably be OCs galore as well as a little bit of OOC-ness (nothing too ridiculous, though, I promise). I haven't written fantasy in three years, and hopefully I haven't lost my touch.

But here's the new story. Enjoy!

* * *

**The Lost Disciple  
**

**Chapter One**

**A Newcomer to the Order**

It was becoming a crazy situation back at home. Shizuma had to get out of there as fast as possible.

Now the Mother Abbess roamed the forest, Im Zhiil, surrounding the great citadel of Tanaii Da'kaix without direction. Golden shafts of sunlight shot through the jade branches criss-crossed overhead. The brown dusty path meandered ahead of Shizuma through the forest, taking on the likeness of a thin cord in the distance. Winter had just turned to spring, and the daffodils were popping out of the ground, the birds acknowledging the new season with a few bars of a song.

Shizuma sighed. All this beauty was lost on her. A year ago this coming spring would've been a joyous occasion --- probably the happiest all year round. But now, with the Spicans pressing the limits of the treaty, the official first day of spring was just another day to Shizuma.

As the Mother Abbess of Miator's capital, Hanazono Shizuma was held in very high regard. Of all the dorms in the abbey, she had been assigned the choicest one with the plushest surroundings. During meals in the dining hall she was given the richest food and the finest wine.

But the life of a Mother Abbess wasn't covered in rose petals. Shortly after coming to power, the Head Priestess and the one Shizuma truly loved had died and was replaced by the Abbess's friend. Shizuma found herself struggling to keep peace between the two rival states, Miator and Spica. The Abbess groaned aloud just thinking about it. She could hear Miyuki, the new Head Priestess, already: "Mother Abbess! If you don't act now, those Bluesashes will wage war with us! Is that what you want?!"

_No! _Shizuma wanted to scream. _I want to be left alone, for once!_

Her frustration overtook her momentarily. She slammed her fist into the nearest tree, skinning her knuckles. A squirrel residing in the tree chattered in protest and chucked a well-aimed acorn at her head.

Shizuma shook her fist at the indignant rodent. "Yah, who needs you, you weevil-brained knuckledragger! You got no sympathy, just like the rest of them!"

The only response she received was another acorn.

The Abbess hummed and pushed her silver hair out of her hazel eyes. _Look at me. I've been reduced to arguing with squirrels. _She sighed. _Maybe Miyuki's right. It's time for me to take control. I'm taking control now._

Shizuma had just turned to head back when she heard an odd noise. It sounded painful, like a groan. Immediate concern and curiosity swirled within the Abbess as she turned again and headed through the forest. Urgency lent speed to her step until she was practically crashing through the brambles. A creeper caught Shizuma's shoe, and the Abbess tripped, stumbling out into a clearing.

And she saw her.

A young red haired girl lay in a fetal position by the pond. She was clad in rags, barefoot, and her hair was dirty. Mud and dried blood caked her body, but there appeared to be a fresh wound in the side of her head. She wore something around her neck, whatever it was she had it clutched in her hands.

Shizuma blinked. What a queer old sight. Wonder besieged her --- who was this girl, and what happened to her?

She circled around the pond until she was standing over this mysterious girl. Shizuma knelt before her, slid her fingertips under her chin, and tipped her head up. The redhead gazed at her dully through half-open garnet-coloured eyes. Her mouth fell open a little and she rasped, "Water...Please..." Her lips were chapped, and when she spoke blood beaded them.

Shizuma tilted her head oddly. This girl spoke in the common tongue, a well-known but not a frequently spoken language in Astraea Hill. The Abbess knew her duties. She picked up this common girl, one arm underneath her knees and the other curled about her shoulders, and bore her back to Tanaii Da'kaix.

* * *

Rokoujou Miyuki tapped her chin thoughtfully as she paced about the infirmary. Nearby in a bed laid this girl Shizuma had found out in Im Zhiil. The girl's head wound had been properly dressed with an herb poultice and the Infirmary Keeper had administered a potion to heal the girl and help her sleep. The grease, dirt, and blood had been scrubbed from her, revealing delicate creamy skin that was soft to touch. Her rags had been burned, and she was dressed in the black and green habit most Da'kaixans wore.

"This is an...interesting situation," Miyuki sighed. "Where did you say this girl was from?"

Shizuma shook her head. "I've no idea. But she spoke with an odd accent...kind of twangy."

"She might be from the Eastern Forest, then. Definitely not from Astraea Hill. And what Sister Hamasaka found around her neck concerns me."

Miyuki held up the necklace the redhead had been found with. The thin cord looped through a little red charm fashioned into the shape of an hourglass.

Shizuma squinted as she examined the charm. "Hmm...What's that weird li'l symbol embossed in this charm?"

The priestess took the charm from her and stowed the necklace in her wide habit sleeve. "How you came to be Mother Abbess baffles me. Don't you know anything? It's the symbol of Radagithia! You just brought a villain into our abbey!"

The Abbess blinked, then her silver eyebrows slanted low over her narrow eyes. "Radagithia? I doubt it. Let me see that charm again."

Unwillingly, Miyuki passed it back to her.

Shizuma needed only a second to examine the charm before her suspicion was confirmed. "This isn't the Radagithian symbol. Radagithia is symbolized by a locust. This is a firefly."

Her patience spent, Miyuki snatched the necklace from Shizuma. Her brown eyes focused on the charm for several moments. Indeed, it wasn't the Radagithian symbol, but it was eerily similar. She glared at the redhead dozing peacefully in the bed. Who _was _this girl?!

Shizuma grinned. "I have to say, Miyuki. This girl is quite a regulation cutie. Wherever she's from, I'd like to go there to pick up more girls like her!"

"Ugh. What's wrong with you?" the priestess snapped. "Act like a proper Mother Abbess! For all we know, this little filly could've been sent to us from Hellgates!"

"Ohh, the dangerous type...I like that..."

Just before Miyuki was about to totally and completely lose her temper on Shizuma, a light yet authorative rap sounded on the door. At a gruff indication from the priestess, the door was pushed open and a young foot soldier with long blue hair up in a bun entered.

The soldier blinked her amethyst eyes, a cerulean eyebrow raised curiously. "Is this a bad time?"

Miyuki shook her head. "Not at all, Private Suzumi. Make your report."

The foot soldier named Suzumi Tamao assumed an attention stance and addressed the Abbess. "Mother Abbess, ma'am! I scouted through the southern fringes of Im Zhiil, ma'am! When I came to the plain I spotted a contingent of Bluesashes amassed by the Kuhkada River, ma'am!"

Miyuki's eyes widened and a cold chill sprouted in her head. "Spicans! What were they doing there?"

At a gesture from Shizuma, Tamao relaxed her stance. "Possibly a border patrol?" The Kuhkada River separated Miator from Spica. "Armed to the teeth, all of 'em. They had some longrange weapons --- spears, bows'n'arrows and the like. I managed to dodge some arrows."

Miyuki's fist came down angrily on the table. "Blasted Bluesashes! We're not even doing anything, and they're killing us!"

Tamao cleared her throat, fingering the pommel of her dagger thrust through her leather belt. "Fortunately, I saw no bodies."

"Not yet," said Shizuma grimly.

A silence settled over the infirmary, which was darkening with dusk. Miyuki anxiously drummed her fingers on the table. Shizuma shifted her feet thoughtfully. Tamao toyed with her dagger. War was unavoidable. For years Miator and Spica had engaged in something like a cold war --- nothing more than a conflict of ideologies. Nobody in Miator wanted a war. As far as the military went, Miator was more than prepared. It was the country's economy that everyone was worried about.

"Tamao-san," Miyuki finally sighed. "I want you to travel into Lulim state. Go to Girrim city, and consult with Chikaru. Ask her to assemble a council in Gee Dûfwea."

"Yes, ma'am," Tamao agreed.

Lulim was the third state to be formed in Astraea Hill. While Miator and Spica raged their first war back and forth, a spritely and calculating man named Komatsu managed to establish the state. Thus Lulim was born. Usually the Lulish were frowned upon by both Spicans and Miatorians, as they refused to side with either nation in the conflict. But Lulim's Head Priestess, Minamoto Chikaru, was a brilliantly helpful woman, ready to aid any nation in need.

Tamao then noticed the redhead and took a step closer to her. "Who is that?"

Miyuki shrugged. "The Mother Abbess found this girl in Im Zhiil."

"Cutie, ain't she?" Shizuma smirked.

"Aye..." Tamao took another step closer. And another. Soon enough she was kneeling close to the bed and gingerly touching the redhead's face. Tamao's normally battle-hardened face was unusually soft, her violet eyes swimming. "She is a cutie. 'Tis a cryin' pity that such an ugly wound had to come to such a beautiful girl."

Shizuma harrumphed, uncomfortable with how close the foot soldier was getting to her redhead. Then she got an idea. "Suzumi-san, I found this odd talisman around that girl's neck. And you've been around the country, so I don't suppose you could shed some light on it...?"

"Sure." Tamao stood, and reluctantly stepped away from the redhead. She looked around. "Where is it?"

"Catch," Miyuki ordered, tossing the necklace.

Tamao caught it easily, and studied the charm. Her eyes widened. "Radagithia...?" She cut herself short. "Nay, 'tis the wrong symbol...'N I'm not sure if'n Radagithia's talisman is hourglass-shaped." She held the charm up to the fading sunlight from the window, her eyebrows raised. "What th' devil _is _this thing?"

Shizuma tapped her foot impatiently. "Well, our prize wanderer 'ere doesn't know..." She shook her silver haired head. "This girl's just a mystery."

"What I don't understand," said Miyuki, taking the necklace from Tamao, "is how this girl could have a Belathian accent, speak the common Belathian language, but have this talisman from another country."

"Mayhap she's got Radagithian relations?" Tamao suggested.

Miyuki shuddered. "That this girl would have anything to do with that foul country just doesn't bear thinking about!"

"But she has naught to do with Radagithia," Shizuma argued. "That symbol is a firefly, not a locust. She's probably just part of some Belathian cult."

"I personally don't care for cults," the priestess frowned, "but as long as she's not from Radagithia, she can stay."

Suddenly a loud growl filled the room. Miyuki and Shizuma's heads snapped toward Tamao, for the growl had come from her. The foot soldier blushed and brought a gloved hand to her middle. "Apologies, m'ladies, but I 'aven't eaten since breakfast. Please excuse me." She threw a hand up in a smart salute, and departed from the infirmary.

* * *

A small company of soldiers had returned to Tanaii Da'kaix from their training in Uiil. The boundless appeitite of Miatorian warriors had gone down in legend. So, naturally, their first stop upon returning to the abbey was the dining hall.

Tamao was happy. She had been long separated from her friends, what with her travels and their training, and that night's supper was a boisterous reunion.

Taro, the stout little Friar, was not happy. He busily ran back and forth between the kitchen and the dining hall, serving the soldiers. His head hurt. His ears rang with their uproarious laughter, singing, and jokes.

"Right bunch of cads," he growled, tossing chopped leek into a boiling concoction. "They think they can just breeze right in after months of being away and insult me!"

One of his assistants shrugged. "They may be rude, Taro-kun, but they're defending us. Without them, those Spicans'd have our guts for garters!"

Taro gritted his teeth as he chopped a carrot. "If it's one thing I hate more than our warriors it's those Bluesashes!" And Taro cursed the Spican warriors --- called "Bluesashes" for the royal blue sashes they wore about their garbs --- as he drove his knife into the innocent carrot.

Mizushima Noriko, an irrepresible archer from Uiil, popped in then. She still had her quiver of arrows slung about her. She helped herself to some honeyed walnuts and clapped Taro on the back. "'Ey there, Taro-kun! Jus' wanted to say that I 'preciate supper tonight. I've missed your tucker!"

Taro gave a startled squawk; he'd nearly chopped off his fingers. He waved his knife at Noriko and roared, "Out! Get out, you gluttonous fiend! No one said you could have those nuts!" He ranted on and on, and Noriko threw up her hands to ward off blows.

"Easy there, ol' bean. I'm leavin'!" She stalked out, grumbling, "Af'er all that trainin', this is what I come home to? Hah! 'Ospitality, my left foot. This place is as hospitable as a beehive with some stones chucked at it."

Noriko's mood brightened considerably as she rejoined Tamao and Takemura Chihaya, her girlfriend.

"Top o' the evenin', mates! Any of that stout left? I'm right parched!"

"Eheheh. Don't you think you've had enough?" Chihaya asked.

Noriko held out her hand. "Well, Chihaya-chan, I'm seein' doubles...When I see sextuples, that's when I calls it a night."

Chihaya sighed and poured her lover another mug of the strong beer.

"So, Tamao-chan, where were you?" the archer asked after a few gulps of beer.

"Givin' my report to the Mother Abbess an' Head Priestess," replied Tamao, her words a tad slurred. She waved her mug about. "You probably 'eard o' those Bluesashes patrollin' the borders..."

Chihaya's fist came down angrily on the table. "Have I! It's ridiculous! They'll just kill any good mindless Miatorian who strolls too close to the Kuhkada!"

Tamao blinked drunkenly, a bit distracted by Chihaya's outburst. For a moment she forgot what she was talking about. Then it came back to her. "Oh, yeah! 'N the Abbess came across a strange girl in Im Zhiil." She blanked out for a moment.

Noriko leaned forward, her eyebrows raised and a grin on her young face. "And...?" She'd caught that glint in Tamao's eyes.

Tamao's body pitched a little as she suppressed a burp. "Neither Shizuma-sama nor Miyuki-san knows where this girl's from. They said she has a Belathian accent and speaks the common language, but..."

"And...?" Noriko's grin stretched wider.

Tamao thoughtfully twirled her mug, watching the stout swill about. She sighed and set it down heavily. "...And I think I like her."

"Like her?" Chihaya blinked. "Are you kidding?"

The foot soldier glared. "Would I be gettin' this drunk if I was kiddin'?"

"Ehh. Point." Chihaya took a sip of her berry cordial. "But, Tamao-chan, do you even know her?"

"Do I have to?"

"Yes! Wallopin' winters, Tamao! Of course you do!"

Tamao leaned back slowly in her chair and held up her hands in defence. "Whoa there, Chihaya-chan. I ne'er knew you t'be so flippin' passionate about such a subject." She grinned wolfishly over her mug. "Besides, wasn't it you who came up to me not five minutes into our first arms trainin' 'n you told me you fell head o'er heels for a certain archer?"

Cowed, Chihaya blushed and looked away. Noriko crowed about how cute the spear carrier was. Tamao chugged the remainder of her beer and sunk into a heavy silence, staring dully at her empty mug.

Noriko looked concerned. "I say, ol' chum, what's the matter? That face could bring rain down!"

The foot soldier shook her head. "Shizuma-sama 'n Miyuki-san are worried 'bout this girl. They suspect she's from the great evil North."

Chihaya blanched. Her mouth fell open and she choked, "Radagithia...?"

No sooner had the spear thrower uttered the wretched name than her archer girlfriend stood, her yew longbow strung and an arrow nocked.

"Good gravy, Tamao, you've fallen for a Hooded One?" Noriko roared. "You musta been drunk!" She leaned in so she could growl in Tamao's face, "Why don't yer slide that pretty li'l dagger a yours 'twixt that scum's ribs?"

"I like her," the foot soldier defended hotly.

"Well, that's very nice, Tamao, but 'twon't 'elp when that wretch's servin' your 'ead to th' Dark One on a silver platter!"

Tamao stood. "She wouldn't do that."

"'Ow do you know? You don't even know 'er!"

Out of nowhere, Tamao's fist came flying at the fast-mouthed archer. However, since the foot soldier was drunk, her timing was a bit slow. Noriko ducked, grabbed Tamao's arm, and twisted it behind her back. Tamao gave a painful cry. Struggling against her friend who she hated at this moment, the blue-haired girl unhooked her dagger from her belt. It was still in its sheath, and she swung the handle backward to thwack the archer's head. Stars danced in Noriko's vision before she recovered. But it was too late. Tamao was upon her, pummeling her with her fists. By now the other soldiers had noticed the commotion and had gathered around to watch.

"One egg says Tamao destroys Noriko!"

"I'll see that and raise you a goat!"

"Ohh! Lookit that! Noriko's throttlin' Tamao!"

"But Tamao's kicked Noriko in the gut!"

Groaning and holding her stomach, Noriko rolled away from Tamao. She tried to get up when her friend's dagger handle came down on her back. The archer fell down on the floor, gasping for breath.

Her heart racing, Tamao stood slowly and buckled her dagger on her belt. "No point in beatin' up somebody who's already down," she shrugged.

Those who supported Tamao sent up a loud cheer. Those who supported Noriko sighed and tried to figure out how they would pay off their bets.

* * *

Late evening found Tamao in the infirmary by the mysterious redhead's bed. She held the girl's hand, her opalescent eyes locked on her sleeping face. A passing stranger would be forgiven if he thought it was just some soldier holding her dying wife's hand.

Tamao sighed. She knew Chihaya and Noriko were right. One should never truly like somebody they just met. But Tamao couldn't help but feel her heart break for this girl's situation. Lost, starving, injured, probably sick, wandering aimlessly through a foreign land. If anything, Tamao just wanted to make this girl feel welcome in Tanaii Da'kaix, Miator and help her adjust.

Caressing the girl's hand, Tamao hummed a tune until she started improvising words to the melody. Everybody had always thought of Tamao as the crusty soldier, but she had a knack for poetry and songwriting.

"I will confess to you  
Because you made me think about the time  
They turned this maid on to me and I'll turn over  
That vision was a masterpiece of comic timing  
You wouldn't laugh at all  
And I wonder what the girl was thinking  
The maid was like an old painting of something classical,  
The model with a tragic air  
Because without a doubt she'd given up the fight  
The ghost of somebody at her side."

"Blood'n'thunder, Tamao-chan! Would you invest in singing lessons, please!"

Tamao turned in her chair, recognizing the voice. Noriko the archer leaned on the doorframe, her grinning face now sporting a decent collection of bruises.

The foot soldier merely grunted and turned away.

Noriko loped over to join Tamao on the opposite side of the bed. She toyed with the green feathers on an arrow and said, "Fair ol' ditty you was singin'. Where'd you hear that un?"

"I wrote it myself," Tamao responded, not looking at the archer.

"Stap me, you wrote those lyrics? By the spear! Tamao, you're a poet and you know it!"

The poet groaned. "Noriko, that line is older than the shine in the courtyard."

Noriko laughed and nodded. "So it is, so it is. Say, listen mate," she said more seriously. "I'm sorry 'bout what happened in the dinin' hall. 'Twasn't right, all them things I said."

"And I'm sorry I punched you." Tamao sighed. "This thing with Spica's got everybody all tense, everybody just wanna fight...'N the last thing we need is a threat from Radagithia. But the Mother Abbess seems to think that this girl isn't Radagithian."

The archer leaned forward to examine the redhead. "So this is the girl who stole your heart. She's a looker, 'n no mistake. But y'know? They always taught me to stay away from people with red hair 'n red eyes. Could be children of the devil!"

Tamao blinked. "How do you know what color eyes this girl's got, Noriko? She's unconscious."

"Not anymore. She's wide awake!"

Tamao hurriedly leaned in toward the girl. The redhead had her eyes open wide, and what Noriko said proved to be true. Her eyes were a deep maroon, the colour of red wine. The girl had her eyes focused blankly on the archer before she looked over at Tamao. She hadn't expected to see the poet there, and she cried out and jumped back.

Tamao started apologizing. "I'm so sorry! Your sleeping face was so cute, I got carried away looking at it!"

The poet wanted to slap herself. _Way to make a good first impression, Tamao._

But the redhead didn't give Tamao's apology much regard. She sat upright in the bed, looking around the infirmary with wide inquisitive eyes. "Where am I?' Her voice was high-pitched and lightly accented.

"This is the abbey of Tanaii Da'kaix in Miator country," responded Tamao. "You're in the infirmary right now."

The redhead blinked and her eyebrows knitted. "_Tanaii da'kaix_...'abbey with gold walls.'"

"Yes," Noriko smiled. "You speak Miatorian?"

The redhead threw up her hands. "Only a little. My aunt lived in Nek'taix for some time."

"Hey, my cousin lives there," said Tamao. She smiled at the redhead's frantic nature and exuberant hand gestures. "What's your name? Where are you from?"

"I'm Nagisa from Elmhaven in East Belathia."

The redhead named Nagisa watched as the poet whipped out a small notebook and jotted something down. Nagisa craned her neck, trying to read the notebook, but Tamao had already closed it and stowed it in her smock.

"Who are you?" Nagisa asked, looking back and forth between Noriko and Tamao.

Noriko bowed her head. "Mizushima Noriko, longbow archer of Miator army, at y' service!"

Tamao put out her hand. "Suzumi Tamao, field patrol soldier of Miator army."

Nagisa shook Tamao's hand and returned Noriko's bow.

Noriko leaned forward. "So, Nagisa, that's a handsome gash in that bonce of yours. How'd you get it?"

Nagisa's face clouded over. Her fingers absently slid up her face until they touched the bandage. She hastily withdrew her hand, as if she'd touched fire. She shook her head. "I don't know..."

Memory loss was a common thing after such a head injury. Tamao understood. She said, "You've told us your last name, but not your first name. What is it?"

Nagisa's clouded expression took on a troubled look. She closed her eyes. "I don't know..."

Memory loss was one thing. Forgetting your name was just insane.

Tamao and Noriko watched in puzzlement as Nagisa traced her fingers lightly around her neck. She fingered her collarbone, as if hoping to find her enigmatic charm bracelet there.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

And there's the first chapter of my new story. I hope you like it. Review and tell me what you think.

And to clear up some confusion, I'm going to post a map of the land on my deviantART account. My username is chiharusenpai. If you're confused about this fantasy world I've created, you can find the map in my scrapbook.

NEXT CHAPTER: We'll see how Nagisa, Tamao, Noriko, and Chihaya are doing at Tanaii Da'kaix a couple weeks later. And an incident in the forest lends urgency to Tamao's trip to Lulim.

(Noriko is the archer, right? I frequently get her and Chihaya mixed up.)


	2. An Author's Note?

**Please accept my humble apologies.**

If you've checked my profile recently you probably already know what this is concerning. I'm discontinuing all my Strawberry Panic! fanfics...at least for now. Maybe someday in the distant future I can pick them back up where I left off, but I can't see that happening within...maybe three years. I guess I started too many big SP! stories, bit off more than I could chew, and then started a big K-ON! story to boot. Also, I sorta knew that one day I'd really burn myself out on Strawberry Panic! and I guess that day has come. Don't worry, I love it all the same and there really are some terrific fics on this archive that I may never grow tired of reading. One day I'll probably rekindle my interest in writing for this series...Sort of like how I rekindled my interest in the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini (I used to be obsessed with that series).

At any rate, I may still drop in a one-shot or two, or some parodies. I just can't immerse myself in any big projects right now. Not just fanfiction, but _anything. _I'm getting married in February (no, not on Valentine's Day because that's a cliche), so that means I have to dedicate myself half to finding a job to support this new life and half to working on my graphic novel series Vernal Equinox which I intend to publish (yes, it's yuri). I'm working on a sort of parody-survey for Strawberry Panic! which I found on the Inheritance Cycle archive. I'll publish it as soon as I finish. Shouldn't take long.

On my profile I've listed some of my favorite series and pairings, so if any of them are your favorites as well you can possibly expect a story in their respective archives. I'm also trying to create a Strawberry Panic! abridged series on YouTube, under my beezyh5 account. I've finished creating the opening, so if it interests you, subscribe and comment and stuff.

I'm sorry that I can't continue these fics now. But seriously, look on this archive and you'll find some real gems. I would list them here, but I dunno...seems kinda wrong to either endorse or hate on a fic in this setting. I'm just saying that there are superior alternatives to my Strawberry Panic! stories.

For what it's worth, I had fun writing these. Thank you all for your reviews and support. Nothing means more to a writer!

~TamaoXNagisa4EVER


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